30 Aug Let’s go to Tonga!
30 August 2024
Let’s go to Tonga!
Our trip to Tonga began right away full of adventure. The stormy weather on Rarotonga prevented us from entering the harbor, and so on the first afternoon of our trip we anchored on the west coast. To get everyone on board, we had to take the dinghy from the beach through the narrow passage in the reef surrounding the island.
And the adventure didn’t end there…. The wind was predicted to pick up overnight and turn north, leaving us completely unsheltered at our anchorage. Therefore, we immediately decided to raise anchor and set course for the open sea.
The first night at sea was rough; the wind reached speeds up to wind force 7 and blew at us from behind, causing the ship to roll heavily over the waves. For some of us this bumpy start was too much for the stomach for a while, but fortunately the sea, swell and wind calmed down within a day.
We are now on our third day at sea and everything is beginning to look more and more like the romantic image of sailing in the tropical Pacific. The days are sunny and warm, the nights clear, and we are treated to brilliant starry skies.